Automatic air-coupling.



A. u'. HARRISON.

AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. i, 1909.

Patenbd Allg'. 16,1910.

a annua-snm- 1.

A. H.. HARRISON. ummm 4m. urmq. nrmohrol nun im'. 1i 1m.

Patented Aug.Y 1:11am

a .nrw-Ilm a fw if dttesuuy and has special reference to aforin of au- NITED sTATEs PATENT. oiiiion.

ARCI-IER H. HARRISON, on ORANGE, LOUISIANA, AssIeNon oF ONE-THIRD To J. IIE; :In: l GAIN 4ANDONE-siriani To J. ivi. CONERLY, `:BOTH OE'LORANGE, LOUISIANA.

- AUTOMATIC AIR-COUPLING.

specificati@ of Lenersratent. Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Appiieanon' ined septemberi, 1909. 'serial No. 515,651.'

To all whomtt may concern: i l

Be it known that I, AnoI-IiiRI-I. HARRISON, a citizen of ,the United States,V residing at Orange,-in the parish of Vernon, State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air- Couplers; and I do herebusT declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable Others skilled in the art to which it appertaiiis to inalte and use the saine. 4

This invention relates to hose couplings toinatic coupling for use in coupling the air hose or steainhose of railroad trains.

One object of the invention is to provide an iniproved general construction of devices of this character.

A second object ot1 the invention is to provide means .whereby the` hose roupliiig may4 inove with the draw-bai' otI the ear so 'that the eoi'iplings will not."becomeiflisconnected Onstartii'ig the train or jain together when the saine is stopped. t

A third Object of the invention is to provide .a novel forni of coupling head for use with such devices.

u A fourth object of the invention is .to pro-V vide a ineans wherebi,1 the coupling heads may be supported to have a slight sliding movement with reference to the draw bai'.

A sixth object of the invention is to pro.

vide an` automatic lock `for the coupling head which will operate to close as the cars The invention further consists in certain Vnovel details of construction and combina` tions `Ot" parts hereinafter fully described,

u' illustrated in.. the accompanying drawings,` and specifically set fo'rth in the claims In the accompanying drawingsplike charactors Ofreferenee indicate like parts in the several views, and Figure `l is a side eleva-V tion of a portion of a` `car constructed in accordance with this invention, a' small portion of an adjoinin` -coupling head being shown. Fig. 2 is a. trent elevation of a car constructed in `acoordance with this inve1i' tion, the'gree'iter` part of the car being broken away and a port-ionof the device being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of a pairl of couplers disconnected from the supporting trainee and car, the

lcouplers being shown partlyY 'in section the better to bring out. the details. Fig. l is an enlarged view ot two coupler heads in the position ,assumed pist before coupling. Fig.

5 is an' enlarged detail view ot the hose'at taching nipple used with thisI inwention, the tool for applying the saine being' also shown in this view. Fig. t3 is a face View ot'one endof this nipple. Fig. 7 is a detail view of an airvalveloclt used with this invention. Fig. 8 is ai face View of rt-lie'nipple shown in l he numeral 10 indicates a portion el the .body of a car and thiscar is supported on the usual Wheels 115 vthe details of the truck being omitted as the sainefforin nopart. ot' I Supported between the outer ends of this draw bar is fixed a coupler head typified at lei. At l5 is indicated one of the end sills of the ear. i It will be understood throughoutthat each ofthe .cars to be coupled with this invention isfsiini- [arly provided and the coupling. heads and all parts will be preciselyY alike throughout. Bolted to the undersidev of the diawbal' 12 is an vinverted Usliaped frame '1G the arins' of which are connected at` their' ex treiuities by a rod lli' and between their extremities bya guide 1S mounted upon a rod V19. Slidable on tlietbar 17 is a lsliding ine1n berlO otl U-shape, one of the arms being bent outward to lie beneath the bar 18 as indicated at l1 while the other arin is provided with :iV notch and extends up' along iooV ' normally held'pre'ssed forward by means of lthe sliding' member while the other end larged eye 15 .to receive.

This hanger bolt passes through the shank andthe washer 34. B'y this means the fory mit of slight swinging movement and also Aof some twist and rise and'fall. .50

' :there is 'an opening which forms a continuation of the wall 38 and this opening merges gradually these surfaces being for the purpose of en- .sliding member .and can consequently -yield with respect to carry to receive abolt 30 which passes through the indicatedat 37. This coupling head is prowvided' with a .recess for the reception of a guide pin and this :recess consists of a -ilat than the interior and tapers gradually on 41 is furthermore preferablyl cross section.

... plate 42 vhaving 4upper and lower .60 l

v'an opposed: coupler.

such bape as to enter the op'en'in the guideplate thus acts not only as a guide but as a stop-since the is .locked to another, will bear against the wall 38 of the guide recess.

each side of the bar as indicated at 22. This l is provided with downwardly depending -opposed ears 23 provided with suitable lperforations to receive ay bolt 24. This sliding member 20 is furthermore a coil spring 25 whichis carri p ed onthebar '17, one end ofthe coil spring bearing against guide plate may. strike the recess `of aiiother coupling head the vtwo will be caused to position properly for coupling since the finger 44 of each willbe guided into the opening 41 of the opposed coupling., These coupling heads are each further, provided with an opening 45 extending therethrough and in tliisopening 45 i'sield a nipple for the attachment of lair consists of a central body portion 46 having an enlarged threaded end 4.7 and this threadbears against'the rear ai'mof the .ll-'shaped frame 16.

The coupling headl is provided with a shank 26 'which has at its rear end an enportion 27. suitably perforated the bolt 24.- The eoupling'head is thus connectedV to the sliding member 20 the draw bar 12, the yielding being permitted by the compression of the spring 25. 'ed'end is bored out as at 48 to form a chan- Beneath the draw bar at the forward end nel for the reception of a washer 49 of some thereof is the usual draw bar carry iron 27 ,on which the forward end of the drawv lbar 'restsl Suspended from this draw bar iron at'points adjacent the -opposite ends thereof are chains' 28 which are connected at their 'lower `ends by means of a flexible material possessing elasticity such yoke 29. This yoke is 'perforated centrally il as leather, 'rubber or the lik Furthermore, tool receiving recesses receiving therpanner teeth 51 of a socket' spaniier 52. iis nipple' or lbushing 46 is bored out at the opposite end and threaded as indicated at 53 and within tliis threaded portion is fitted tlie'threaded end 54 of a coupling nipple 55 .provided with a collar 56 adapted to butt against the end of the nipple 46 when in proper position. It will bp obvious that the head t iat the nipple will fit therein and that it will be threaded for the reception of the threads 47. Iii, positioning this nipple the coupling nipple 55 is removed therefrom yand the nipp e 46 screwed into the couplerl head bymeans of the socket Spanner 52. -Tlie coupling nipple is then screwed .into

50 for the purpose of fork 31 of a hanger bolt 32 provded'on itsA lower end with a nut 33 and collar 34.

26 and the latter is freely siidable on the hanger bolt, being kept in elevated position by means of a suitable-coil spring 35 which is heldlbetween the under side of the shank ward en'd of the shank is suspended to per-l Carried on the shank 26 is a coupling head1 36' the forward face whereof'is beveled as usual manner.

For the purpose getlier from accidental release on each of ,these` heads .there is provided a locking niemberor` hook 57-which is pivoted as at, 58 and is 'provided with a rearwardly eX- tending arm 59 whereto is coniiecteda .link

vor plane inside' wall 38, a gently curved. outside wall 39 and inclined topand bottom walls 40. By means of this construction the mouth of the recess is ,considerably larger three sides toa fiat back wall. In this head ing plate 62 provided with a slotted opening 41 they back wall of 63 wlierethroug-li the member 32 passes. This plate 62 is connected to the link 60 as indicated at 64v plate is provided with a lu 65 connected by means of a chain 66 to a p ate 67 secured to the frame 16. By means of this construction as twoof the coupling heads are brought together, the latter being so. arranged'as to project in forward position beyond the coupler 14, theslidinfr member 20 will be forced backward and t e late 62 permitted to Vslide forward. In or er to cause this plate to slide-forward each ofthe locking hooks 59 is provided with a notch '68 which receives one end of a spring l69 secured to into the This opening rectangular in recess previously described.

mounted on or formed integral of these coupling heads is a guide edges 45 corresponding in incline to ,the upper and lower surfaces 40 and oppositely arranged,

' Rigidly with each gaging the upper and plate, when a coupler.

` It will now be plaiii'\that no matter in hose. This nipple this enlarged end 47 is pr vided withl 1the nipple 46 and tl'ie hoselapplied in the,

60. Held beneath suitable clips 61 is a slid-` what position tlie guide linger 44 of' one 36 will be bored so f locking the heads to-l iso the coupling head yas at 70. -The tendency .of this spring is normally to throw 4the hooks into locked position' and consequently tirely disengaged andthe .next result vvill bet-hat the plate 62 Will cease to move and further'inovement of thel heads outward Will l serve to pull.. upon the links 60 and consequently to throtv the hooks 57 'into disengagnig positionasclearlyindicated in Fig. '-4.4 1n -full l ines.

i In order to provide forfconnectionto the air line of a train certain piping is necessary. In Fig. l `the air line Wil-l be seen as indicated at 71and this airline is' provided 'with the ordinary manual coupler 72 for purposes of convenience and incase ofac-` At 73 is a' branch pipe and 'in thiscident. p branch` pipe -i. a valve 7l of the ordinary t-ypeand to this valve is connected avtiexible hose'75 the freeI end of which is connected to-the hose coupling `nipple. 55. The valve 74 isprovided With. a'steiii 76 nhereon is mounted a lever 7 7 the lever being, connected to the stem intermediate its ends. On

1. ne 4car are 'provided suitable hangers '78 and through these hangers, eittendy rods 79 having handles 48() and one of these rods is connected to the upper end of the lever 77 'While the other rod is connected to the loiver -end of the same. By this nieans the lever may be pulled or pushedto open orclosed position for the `valve. the lever in either closed or open position a locking member is provided and this loclc ing member consists of a clamping portion 8l which fits around the branch 73 iniinedi ately above the valve' and is secured thereto by means of, clamp bolts 82. The locking member then'branches out as indicated at 83 and terminates in stop ends 84 which are connected by a cross bar 85 having depression portions 86 Vformed therein. This meinber so positioned that the lever 77 will lie in' one of the depressions 86 when in open position and in the other depression. A86 -when in closed position.

The operation of the device having been described in detail throughout the speciiif cation it is not deemed necessary here to go into a detail description of the operation a second time.

rthere hasthus been novided a simple' andeiticient device ot the rind described and for the purpose specified.

Having thus described the invention, Vwhat is claimedl as new, isz

l. The combination `ivith a draw bar; of

. a traine. fixed to said draiv bar. a sliding member carried oii said frame. one niem- Iii order to hold' thereof pivoted to said sliding member to swing in a vertical plane, and a resilient sup- `port for the oppositeiend of said coupling device.

2. The combination; with' a dranv l'bar' and its carry iron; of a' frame fixed to said draw bar of inverted U-sh'ape,'a'sliding member supported onsaid :traine and normally bearing against one'of the arms of the U7 a spring supported .between -the other `arm and said slidliig member to permit the member to move t'oivfa-rd the last mentioned. arm, an fair Ihose coupling device having one end pivotedl to said sliding member. and a re,- sihent support for the opposite end of said air hose coupling devicel coiiiprisinga pair of chains depending from said 'arry iron. a

volte connecting the' loiver ends of saidchaiiis. a tork bolt i'iassing through said coupling device'a collar secured upon the loiver end ofsaid for; bolt, a bolt connecting` said fork' bolt and yoke, and a spring held between said collar andthe under side of said. coupling device.

3.- The combination ivith a draw bar: of a trame 'fixed to said draw bar. and an air hose coupling Adevice supported to slide on said' frame, a latch on said coupling device adapted to engage a similar latch on a similar coupling'fd'evice, and an operative connection between said `latch and traine to open the latch as the coupling' device is` moved forward., .Y i 4 fl. The combination with a drauf bar; of a frame fixed to said 'dravv bar. and an air hose coupling device supported to slideon y said frame. a latch on said coupling device adapted to engage a similar latch on a simi! lar coupling device, an operative connection between said latch and traine to open ythe latch as the coupling device is moved forward. and a spring to close said latch as the coupling device is moved backward.

. the recess through the back. and a vertically vtapered guide plate extending pcrpendicii larlvfrini thet'ace of the coupler head provided ivith a guide finger extending tliere' ironi, said plate being adaptci'l to engage the recess'and opening ot an opposed coup ler, and an air pipe extending through head. y y.

(LA coupling head havingv an 'incliii said fi'irn'ard tace and being provided with 1'30 guide recess having a fiat inner ""a'l-.l pci'- liao pendicular to sa'idfaee undinclined outer nndvtop and bottdm Walls, Said coupleit head v further. having an opening leading from the iecesl; through the back, and afveitioally .tapered guide' plate extendingperpendiculmly from the fae of :the Coupler head p'iovided -with a guide finger extending tlieii'efrom, said .plate being .adapted to engage tlie i'efcess and dpenuigy of an opposed coup- 10 ler, an air pipe extending through s aid head;

L draw bar, and :1 flexible n dy yieldnhle connection between said draw liar and 'said coupler hec. l y

lnx-.testimony whereof`r I nix my signu- 'ture, in presence of two Witnesses.

ARCHER H. HARRISON. Witnesesr.

M. B. MARTIN, J. D. Bikowx. 

